The Australian carrier said today it would operate three services per week between Queenstown and Melbourne with a Boeing 737 aircraft, offering more than 10,000 seats on the route.
They will run between June 21 and August 27.
To cater for the additional flights, services between Melbourne and Christchurch would be reduced.
Qantas International chief executive Alison Webster said the new flights would allow more holidaymakers to get to the ski fields on the South Island and meet increased demand over Queenstown’s busiest period.
“Every year we see more and more Australians travelling across the Tasman to experience a ski season in New Zealand,” Ms Webster said.
“We know there is already strong demand from Melburnians travelling to Queenstown in winter and our existing flights from Sydney are very popular.
“These new flights from Melbourne will allow Victorians to fly direct, maximising the time they have on the slopes and to explore everything else this beautiful destination has to offer.”
The flights - which will operate on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays - were made possible by reducing Qantas’ Melbourne-Christchurch schedule to four services per week over the winter when demand was lower.
